Thousands of Scottish businesses show confidence in an independent nation
Contrary to Allan Sutherland’s assertions that business is opposed to Scotland’s self-determination (Letters 10 July), more than 4,000 business owners and senior managers have signed the Business for Scotland Declaration which backs self-government and supports membership of the EU single market as vital for their business.
These businesses across Scotland refute recent com- ments that they’re “fed up” with talk of Scottish independence and believe that it’s fast becoming the most sensible business option for Scotland.
There is no evidence whatsoever that talk of independence has impeded investment, and Scotland’s GDP growth, as Fraser Grant stated in his letter of 10 July, was four times greater than the rest of the UK’S at a time when the Tory, Labour and Lib Dem’s daily mantra was “no to a second referendum”.
Given the picture painted by Ruth Davidson and Kezia Dugdale who, aided by the Tory press on a daily basis, think that Scotland is a walking disaster zone, it is really astonishing that we have a record number of tourists and our economy is doing so well.
It’s time opposition politicians started promoting Scotland’s many attributes for a change while legitimately suggesting constructive improvements rather than projecting constant negativity, which must be damaging Scottish business confidence.
MARY THOMAS Watson Crescent, Edinburgh Exaggeration is not a new idea and indeterminate exaggeration makes a challenge less likely. A good example is Fraser Grant’s letter (10 July). The use of the phrase “four times higher than” perhaps means that the Scottish GDP is four times that of the UK (very unlikely). Perhaps it means that the value of Scottish GDP is the value of UK GDP plus four times that value, ie five times that of the UK GDP (even more unlikely).
This kind of duplicitous and vague ‘counting’ is becoming quite common. Of course, working in the other direction, “four times smaller than” is even harder to determine. “half as small” might be interpreted as “half the size” but what is “twice as small”?
Whatever happened to the “times” tables, and “one-fifth, etc”? You must be more determinate, Fraser, if you want us to understand a fraction of what you are saying.
BILL GRAHAM The Bothies, Findhorn Road
Forres, Moray